


Dragon's kin

by Meinleere



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: AU, Angst, Animal Death, Canon Divergent, Cryptids, Falconry, Fluff, Hunting, M/M, Multichapter, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post War, Tarzan inspired, granby takes laurences place, laurence is a wild human and tharkay wants a nap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 14:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20244169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meinleere/pseuds/Meinleere
Summary: “There’s feral’s in those woods” said the bartender as he leant towards Tharkay, “And a beast.”“A beast” tharkay deadpanned.“Aye, some sorta’ creature, part man part dragon. I think it’s total horseshit, but you never know. Keep your doors locked mm?” The bartender’s face broke into a grin, he chuckled and nudged Thakay’s arm before turning away and retreating down the bar towards another patron. Tharkay looked to his glass.“I’ll keep them locked...” He muttered. He paid, downed his drink, and left.what happens when a man trying to enjoy his retirement becomes involved in the lives of feral dragons, and who is this strange man living with them





	Dragon's kin

The war ended almost anticlimactically, with Boneparte captured and Frances armies defeated. Tharkay took his paycheck from Admiral Roland and left the service. He has been only a temporary member Afterall, and it was time for him to move on.

Or rather, move in. With the money acquired for his assistance with acquiring feral for the aerial corps (Captain Granby had been quite grateful for his deliverance in Prussia) and a small sum acquired from other sources, he had finally been able to get his home in order. He looked up at the estate. It was a modest building, the paint was peeling in places from disuse, and there was a layer of dust on the inside, but it was home. Tharkay had spent the better part of the day lining up workers. He only needed a few, as he was sure he could manage himself otherwise, but construction was his main concern. He met a fellow called Baines who, upon hearing his concerns about safety as the building had not been cared for in some time, offered to come and take a look. Baines was a large man with rough, well-worked hands. And Tharkay, who usually was slow to trust, felt at ease.

“Could you visit sometime tomorrow morning?” Tharkay said, “I would like to make sure the building is stable before…decorating, incase anything needs to be redone.” He said amicably. Baines had agreed to that, and a price for his service to be paid after. Tharkay left with a giddy spring to his step.

With the day spent, and a hollow in his stomach, Tharkay approached a small bar. As he stepped through the door, a woman turned up from her friend’s conversation and gave him a curious look, eyeing him up and down. She smiled sweetly, and tharkay quirked his lip in response before quickly approaching a free table, far from the woman and her group. He sat down and soon a waiter approached him. He ordered the lamb and a beer and enjoyed both when they arrived. The sun began to set as he approached the bar. The Bartender smiled welcomingly as tharkay asked for another drink and took to lazy conversation.

“So you’re new.” The bartender said, pouring his drink. Tharkay confirmed and took the drink, but the bartender was not done. “Moved into the old house on the hill right? Family used ta’ live there, nice folks, had a son who ran away or something I think.” He said, Tharkay smirked.

“Yes, that was me.” He glanced up at the Bartender, who’s bushy eyebrows shot up into his greying hair. Tharkay snorted as the bartender scrambled for a response. “but this time I’m planning to stay” He took a drink, hoping his tone would end the conversation. But the bartender did not budge. Tharkay lowered his drink and sighed “Surely you have more people to serve rather than bother yourself with a runaway.” He remarked, and worked his jaw when the bartender laughed instead.

“ah yeah, But I have a reason for interrupting your evening. A warning” his voice dropped to a conspiring whisper, and Tharkay felt his stomach drop. So much for a peaceful life after the war. He leant in towards the bartender to listen. 

“There’s feral’s in those woods” said the bartender as he leant towards Tharkay, “And a beast.”

“A beast” tharkay deadpanned. So much for a threat.

“Aye, some sorta’ creature, part man part dragon. I think it’s total horseshit, but you never know. Keep your doors locked mm?” The bartender’s face broke into a grin, he chuckled and nudged Thakay’s arm before turning away and retreating down the bar towards another patron. Tharkay looked to his glass. His heart was racing, he had expected an assassin, or perhaps information regarding a criminal society, instead all he got was a damn old wivestale.

“I’ll keep them locked...” He muttered. He paid, downed his drink, and left.

Tharkay was never one to admit being afraid of the dark, but he would be a liar if he said he didn’t quicken his step in the fading sunlight. As he shut the door behind himself Tharkay felt a prickle of embarrassment over being so childish. Fairytales about wild creatures in the woods was nothing compared to the horrors of warfare, and he already watched the dark corners of his house harder than he ought. Tharkay made a point of marching upstairs to his room, ignoring the way his footsteps echoed in such an empty house, he forced himself not to look down the dark hall for imaginary enemies, and even smiled instead of glancing over his shoulder to check his behind.

Of course, he did breathe a sigh of relief once inside his room. The final rays of sunlight dipped beneath the horizon as he lit a candle. He briefly appreciated the sunset, watching the trees as they were bathed in gold and flaming oranges. The clouds matched as well. As Tharkay leant against the window a motion caught his eye, he glanced down to the edge of his property, where the unkept grass ended and the woods began. Something moved between the trees, slinking criminally between the trunks and groundcover. Tharkay dug his fingers into the wood as the bartenders words came to mind. A beast. Was he right? The thing moved again, stepping out from behind an oak and into the final, dying light. It was a man, and his face was turned up at the window, right at Tharkay. 

Tharkay stepped back and pulled the curtains shut with a snap. He panted, finally breathing again, his pulse was alight in his jaw. And with trembling hands he opened the curtain a fraction. As he looked down at the fields, he saw nothing aside from a bush shaking where the man had been.

Tharkay stepped back from the window. Hands coming together he tried to relax his heartbeat. Perhaps it had only been a passerby, or a hunter, or another person with a simple explanation for their behavior. Tharkay let his thoughts run as darkness settled over him and his legs ached from their position frozen to the floor. He almost desired being in the corps again, with the familiar sound of chatter and the snapping of dragon wings to keep him company. His time had been minimal, as he was only there to assist Captain John Granby and co collect a few eggs, and yet the feeling of companionship had been damn great. He was beginning to understand the appeal of marriage.

Tharkay forced himself to undress, stripping off his layers and donning a nightdress. He slid under the covers and lay there. It was hardly late, and he was not tired. But Tharkay despised the idea of being awake any longer and blew out the light. Sleep did not come easy, he tossed and turned and forced his mind to forget the man looking up at him. Until finally he drifted off into a dreamless state.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! next chapter shall be Laurences POV that takes directly before this chapters end. stay tuned!


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